Circularly swung captive glider



Feb. 17, 1948.v J. A. A. MEsslER vCIRGULA'RIAI swUNG cAPTIvE GLIDER vFiled Jan. 8, 1946 4 sheets-sheet 1 /2 22 A my l/ /3 '25 25 m .0 /7 /5 gw I 22 'K /ZC mvENToR n Sop. @MX f BY f v 30 ATTORNEY Feb. 17, 1948.

J. A. A. MESSI CIRCULARLY SWUNG CAPTIVE GLIDER Filed Jan. 8, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet l l INVENTORv e'aapfLJL,

ATTORNEY Feb 17, 1948. J, A. A. MESSIER 2,436,014

I CIRCULARLY SWUNG CAPTIVE @LIDER Filed Jan. 8, 194e 4 sheets-sheet 5 Patented Feb. 17, 1948 Y f AU TED STATES PAT ENT 'OfFF-,l CE

, 2,436,014 n, y -CIRCULARLY SWTUNG; CAPTIVE GLIDER 4Joseph A. A. Messier, Northleld, Vt. Application January 8, 1946, Serial No; 639,7-91- 1s claims. (c1. 272-41) Y This invention relatestoaerial rides particul 'larly for. fairs and amusement parks wherein cireularly-v towedcapt-ive gliders aresw-ung through the air in a circuit'ouspathV curving about a, vertical axis -whilevsuspendedrom aipower driven,

multiple armed overhead-reelmrotary carrying structure. The present improvements are par ticularly concerned with features ofv construction, equipment and Aoperation ofthe passenger -car making its meansof ksuspension from the rotary carrier controllable lay-the rider lin a manner to enhance the excitement ofzthefride.

In keeping vwith popular `demand for 'greater thrills vand sensation in the performance of amusement rides andltowmeet public preference ifor rides that-arezmore'fully passengercont-rolled, ethere has *been constantattempt -to improve the performance ofcaptive f'gliders in fthese respects. To this end =there fhas ibeen-proposed the -use of passenger controlled lair-foils, rsuch as lailerons or rudders, withA which each passenger car `maybe j'equipped `so -as to 'be -svvingablefbyl the passenger lin -a manner to'varythe abruptness and-direction ofY their 4'attack =upon1`the fair and thereby Vswerve the-car.

It is -an object offt-his invention to cause more sensational movements v'of -a ying captive 'gliderfby causing lit torespondfto rider control in la greater variety of A'directions and with Amore :nearly lthe lsensitive jrespo'nse of a ffree -'flying fglider or airplane. V

"A'Acontributory -objectis to place-constantly under -positive'control of `the vpassanger the degree lof sidewise "inclination-orbanking angularity of the car relative to its suspension cables. These 'cables shift gradually `from vertical disposition "and approachv'a horizontal disposition as their revolutions1farespeeded upto increase the -centrifugalpu11 upon -the passenger-car. In 'all disvpositions o"f such eablesfhowever, `my improved car Vcan llie-either leveledofffor bankedtto any passenger selected degree. 'This isfaccomplish'ed byl passenger controlled, ipositively acting mechanism'and does not 'as heretofore vin "this -art Ade pend@ solely upon'-y aerodynamic le'iects of-fair'foils.

'f'of travel for the' 'passenger car corresponding to itsspeed Vof revolution. vThese vnewly possible courses of car travel are not only'more Widely' sensitively Iunder rider'contrl.

fdivesifled but are brought more fully and more It hence is a. further object -of the invention to equip a glider car'=tliusnoveliy suspended, with tiltable wings, and/or. ailerons, and/or rudders, which Amay 'be passenger controlled by special manipulation ofthe same steering wheel or control column that positively governs the aforementioned banking angularity of the car. l

' Specifically these improvements zaim to :provide a push-pulltype .of steering wheel :whose turning movement will-vary the sidewise-tipping langularity of the passenger L.car relativeto its cables and thereby .deternnne:the.banking angularity and lifting force of the :horizontal 2airfoils, while axial or push-pull movementy of such steering wheel `will selectively-position certain other air- -foils such -Iasruddf'ers `to bring into :play a .choice of aerodynamiceffects `superimposedupon th chosen `bankingangularlty ofthe car.

'The invention further aims'to linsure a mechanically predetermined relationship' lbetween the bankingv angularityofme .passenger car with respect to its suspensioncablesfand .the .tilt 'of certain ailerons l relativeto'rthe passenger car.

A further 4object is 'to mount passenger conftrolled ruddersupon 'and in yswingable relation'to rpassenger controlled .aileron-s,l t'heflatter themselves being passenger controlledin theirfinclination to the passenger car.

A further object lis to make Tsuchruizlders independently swingablev by the passenger while the tilt of the'ailerons remains unchanged in rela'- tionship to the passenger selected lbanking angularity of the car.

A no less important accomplishment of-this invention is ythe abili-ty which it -aiords to .1 enjoir 'very `high ying in va-captive 4glider vwhen the latter is whirled at rotary speedsthat are slower than have here'toforelbeen necessary-to attain even moderate iiying height by centrifugal 4force alone, From this accomplishment there results `reduced strain on'theapparatus; as well as less ldizziness fand greatersaffetyffor the passenger, Ithus yenhancingt'heunrand appealof the ride.

yThe foregoing andassociated :objects `of the in.- vention yWillA bemore clearlyl understood from the ifollowing description 'of asuccessful :for-m of the 'invention illustratedf-in the accompanying drawingsfwherein:

Fig. 1 is a'diagranrmatic plan -view and Fig. 2 isa diagrammatic sidef-view oftheimain yelements of a vcomplete amusement apparatus `'incorporating captive gliders 'shown iii-various positions eigplanative vof thejpresent improvements.

senger cars aof- I'lfland'izwith itsvsuspenson Fig. 6 is a perspective view in nearly rear ele- I vation showing the passenger car in high flying angularity with respectto its hanger.

Figs. 7 and' are respectively front and rear elevations of the passenger car showing tilted and non-tilted positions of airfoil members corresponding to banked and non-banked angularity of the car relative to its hanger.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the passenger car and its airfoil members broken away to show level and inclined positions of airfoil members corresponding to banked and non-banked angularity of the car.

Figs. 1 and -2 indicate well-'known perfomance features of circularly swungv captive gliders which include whirling ofv the: passenger car I2 outward andupward from its.A idle vertically suspended position-nfl rest shown-.at I2a to some comparatively elevated .ilying. position indicated at I2b. .'-l-f.:

' Each of. the cars- I2 is .suspended by a pair of spaced cables-l3 from the revolving tip of a rotary overhead carryingstructure I4 which includes the mastlI andfyardarms I6 rigid therewith revolvablefabout` a vertical axis by means of bevel gears I'Ipowered by a'motor I8 mounted on. the stationary base..of-the apparatus. Since the present .invention isvnot' iimited'to particulars of construction-.ofthe rotary carrier I4 the showing thereofgmayzbe regarded as diagrammatic and illustrative ofrtwo revolving overhead spaced anchoragesjfor-cables I3. These anchorages, at thetipsl-oi .yardarms IIS,y are usually at equal radial-distances ffromjthe vertical axis of rotation of. mastv I5, so thatarigid hanger 22 having opposite: ends. 123, 24 -of its horizontal length attached respectively-to cables I3 will have .its length' maintained in ia :direction tangentially related to the vcircularpath-,of travel in which -the hanger is .v'llrledA about the vertical axis of mastl. v ,i

Now were we merelyto suspend a passenger car, as I2, from. the hanger-w224 such car by the combined action of gravity andcentrifugal force would normallybeoausedto bank to some natural degree of inclination relative. to the horizonktal indicated, at I2e in fFig. .2 `whenever it is whirled about the vertical axis of mast I5. In

banked position ;I2c,-fhowever, it will be noted 4horizontabtilta-ble airfoil-members, such as the -front wing 25 and rear-aileron'ZE, in car position I2a, such airfoilfmenibers would no longer be horizontal-with the car-disposed in position .I2c. Accordingly in car position I2C the tiltable air foil members 25 and 26 would not attack the airpin a directionto exerts. maximum aerodynamicvertical lifting power Lon the passenger car tending tomake vitride higher. This maximum lifting eiIect-couldresult only from an airfoil member-such as a wing or `aileron inclined Ato attack ,the air while itsv *wing length is disposed 'its wing or aileron must change angularity relative to its cables instead of banking relatively to the horizontal.

The position of the car desired for the foregoing purposes is the full line position shown at I2b in Fig. 2. The present invention novelly provides means whereby this car position I2b can be attained at the will of the rider so that full emciencyl in the. aerodynamic lifting or climbing effect of airfoil members 25, 26 can be exerted causing the car to fly higher at a less given speed of rotation of carrier I4 than could otherwise be possible. Thus the thrill of high flying is madepossible at slower and safer rotary speeds of the rotary carrying structure. Also thereis less dizziness from rapid circular travel to spoil the fun of the ride. A successful arrangement of mechanism for accomplishing this will now be described.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 3 to 9, inclusive, the hanger 22 may comprise an unyield- -ing sti bail whose straight -horizontal .section with the cables I3; Thus car I2 is pivotally coupled to hanger 22- i-n a mannerto be bankableto various degrees of angularity relative to cables I3 and the degree of such angularity can be varied atthe will of the rider through the ac'- tion of the following passenger operated control mechanism.

Front bail arm 21 is trussed tn fcrm arigid quadrilateral appendage 35 which is fixed on thisV arm asis also spur gear sector 36.V These therefore become turnable in unison with bail22` about the axis of pivot pin 30. Acting as a planetary gear in mesh with gear sector 36 there is a spur gear 31 fixed on the front end of a passenger control shaft 40 which shaft is-J'ournaled closely to gear 3'! in the upturned frame nose 38 of car I2. Shaft 40 is further journaled of leverage canbe afforded by choice of ratiosinthe gear train 36, 31.- Banking of car. I2 about the common horizontal axis of pivot pins 30 and 3| to selective-degrees of angularity withvrespect to cables I3 therebybecomes easy. The car undert this positive ridercontrol canV be shifted from= position I2C to position I2b in Fig. 2,'and efcient.. aerodynamic use of-.tiltablefwings or aileronsfor` high flying at low whirling speeds becomes possible as next to be described. Since we now have a means Thus car I2 is free to' swing about pins 3Il yfor kepineithef .horizontelly.-'y lo,.-acc9mp1is1.1gthis the par with '.15 car on an even keel as it iS 4Svi'ilrla,higher aad larity in Figs. 2, 'I and 8 to lts-level flight position 'shown in full lines in said figures.' `In this way the wingspread of the glider can be brought as closely vas desired to a horizontal level 'at any "ilyving speed of the glider, The wing 25 and 'the aileron 26 will incline simultaneously moreand more steeply from their broken line positions to- .ward their full line positions in Fig. 9, as the sidewisetipp'ing angularity of 'the car with respect to its suspension cables I3 is purposely'increased' by the rider. This causes wing 25 and aileron 26 to attack the air and exert an efficient lift force on the'car body causing it to ily higher than is possible under the influence of centrifugal force alone. It also enables the glider to fly as high at a relatively low speed ofrevolution about the mast I5 as heretofore would have -required a much greater and more dangerous speed of-revolution' of the car about the mast I5. In fact captive. gliders have not heretofore been able to "ily high ,and still retain their passenger seat on an 'even keel so far as I am informed. Fig. I?. shows a`position I 2d attainable by :ny-improved glider that presents a morev thrilling performance than heretofore known in this art. A

lmine and vary said banking angularity of said At any chosen rotary setting-of wheel 4I the .rider is further able to manipulate this same svv'erve laterally -so that its suspension cables I3 can be made' to sway inward or outward with respect tothe mast I5, lThe rider is thus able by combined turning andpusliing or pulling on the vcontrol wheel 4I to nose the carl eitherupward or downward, and simultaneouslyA to swerve itgfrom either side to the other side, andwithfit all, to fily at a higher level than hja'sheretofore been accomplished at a given speed. (1f/revolution of 'a captive'gllder. Y i

AFor symmetrical equilibrium I prefer 'to oiset the common axis of pivots and 3 I sufficiently' inward toward mast I5 from the fore and aft centerline of the car to compensate for the greater weight of the larger wing tips and large rudders located at that side of the car. Three inches has been'found a suitable extent of offset. Spaced collars 98 fixed on shaft section 40' limit the axial movement of` this shaft so that the turning of rudders will not exceed a practical'extent in either direction, while safety stops (not shown) will be fixed on car body I2 in the path of'swinging movement of hanger arm 21 and/or 28 to limit the banking angularity of carl! vthereto to' a' practical degree in either direction.

Various substitutes and' alternative kinds o mechanisms for enabling the passenger car to be shifted to chosen degrees of banking angularity relative to hanger 22 and/or suspension cablesv I3 will `be suggested to workers skilled inithis artbl the disclosure hereof. The followingjclaims' are directed'to and intended to cover all such substitutesfand equivalents for the exact parts and arrangementsheren shown asfairly 'come within the scope of the terms used in said claims; v',"llcl'aim:

@11. A circularly swungcaptive'glider comprisfing in combination with'an overhead carrying structure `mounted to revolve ,about aA vertical axis, spaced cables hanging from andconveye'd by said overhead structurefin'a'path curving `about said axis, a hanger elongated in a direction generally ltangential .to said path i-.ravingv foreland car.

2. A circularly swung captive glider as defined inv 'claim 1,-in which the said rider operated control mechanism includes at least two intermeshed gears, one of said gears being fast to the said -i'ianger and another of said gears being fast-to the said car and equipped to be manually operable by said passenger.

3. `-il circularly swung captive glider as defined inclaim 1, vin which the said passenger operated control mechanism includes a gear fast to the -said hanger, a second gear in mesh with the first 'said gear, Iand a passenger operated control handie operatively coupled to said second gear.

4.*A circ'ularly swung' captive glider as defined in claim l, together with an airfol member carrled byl thesaid passenger car in a manner to be s'wingable relative thereto.

. 5. A circularly swung captive gliderv as defined in' claim 1, vtogether with an airfoil member swingably carried by the said passenger car and operatively coupled to the said hanger in a manner t'o becaused to swing relatively to said car 4by the said bankingmovement of; said car relative to said hanger.

6. A circularly swung captive glider as defined in claim 1, 'together with an airfoil member swingably carried by the said passenger car, and a passenger operated control handle movable in diverse planes coupled to the said control Amechanisin and izo-said airfoil member in a manner by movement in one of said planes to cause said car t`o bank relatively tothe said cables and by move-f mentfrom one to another of said planes to cause said airfil to swing relatively to said car.

""1. VA "circulaily swung captive glider as defined :in claim 1', in which the said hanger compris'esna bail including downward extending stiff branches having their lower ends attached to said car at relatively fore'and aft locations thereon.

8. lA circularly swung captive glider as defined in' claim 1, in'which the said control mechanism includes passenger operated control handle, to gethei-,with' a tiltable wingpivotally mountedon the'said car, and a rudder pivotally mounted on said wing in'a manner to swing about an axis outstanding from the surface of said wing, `both said wing Vand said rudder being operably connected to said control handle in a manner tobe independently movable thereby. j 9. A circularly swung captive glider as defined in claim 1, together vwith a tiltable forward wing pivotally' mounted 'on the said car, a rear wing -x"ed' en 's'a'id car, an aileron pivotally mounted .in'clanf 1, in which the said control mechanism includes a passenger Voperated control handle,v to# gether with av tiltable forward wing pivotally mounted onthe said car, av rear wing fixed on said can. an aileron pivotally mounted on4 said fixed' wing, a rudder pivotally mounted on at least one of said wings 'to swing about an axis outstanding 15 irom 'the vwing surface, i and Aconnections 'renders ing said forward wing and said aileron and said rudder selectively operable by the saidfpassenger operated control handle.

11. A captive glider embodying the hollow body of a passenger car, a front wing spreading later ally of the iront end of said body, means pivotally coupling said wing to said body, a rear Wing xed to said car body spreading laterally thereof, an aileron pivotally coupled to said rear wing, a hanger from which said car body is pivotally suspended, and movement transmitting connections between said hanger and said front wing and between said hanger and said aileron.

12. A captive glider embodying in combination, the hollow body of a passenger car, a wing spreading laterally of the front end of said body having a leading edge and a trailing edge, said trailing edge containing a cutout occupied by said oar body, means at the forward edge of said cutout pivotally coupling said wing to said car body in a manner permitting said wing to tilt relatively to said body, a hanger from which said car body is pivotally suspended, and movement transmitting connection between said hanger and said wing.

13. A captive glider embodying in combination, the hollow body of a passenger car, a wing fixed to said car body spreading laterally thereof having a leading edge and trailing edge, said leading edge containing a cutout occupied by said car body and said trailing edge containing a cutout over at least a portion of its spread, an aileron located in said cutout in said trailing edge, a hanger from which said car body is pivotally suspended, and movement transmitting connection between said hanger and said aileron.

JOSEPH A. A. MESSIER.

REFERENCES C ITED The following references are of record in the fue of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,358,246 Radabaugh Nov. 9, 1920 1,965,039 Hunt 1..- July 3, 1934 

